ave us were insignificant when compared with
these!" cried Beth. "This collection must be worth an enormous sum.
Uncle John."

Uncle John merely nodded. He had been thinking, as he studied the pearls,
and now turned to Captain Carg.

"Will you come ashore and testify before the judge in behalf of
your master?"

"Yes, if he asks me to do so."

"And will you bring these pearls with you?"

"If my master orders it."

"Very good. We will have him send you instructions."

The captain bowed, after which he turned to the table and began replacing
the trays in the chest. Then he locked it, again hung the key in the
secret aperture and closed the panel. A whistle summoned the two seamen,
who bore away the chest, accompanied by the captain in person.

When they were left alone, Maud said anxiously:

"Is there anything more we can do here?"

"I think not," replied Mr. Merrick.

"Then let us get back. I want to complete my evidence at once, for no one
knows when the judge will summon Ajo for examination."

They thanked the captain when he rejoined them, but he remained as silent
and undemonstrative as ever, so they took their departure without further
ceremony and returned to the shore.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE ADVANTAGE OF A DAY

That evening Le Drieux appeared in the lobby of the hotel and sat himself
comfortably down, as if his sole desire in life was to read the evening
paper and smoke his after-dinner cigar. He cast a self-satisfied and
rather supercilious glance in the direction of the Merrick party, which
on this occasion included the Stantons and their aunt, but he made no
attempt to approach the corner where they were seated.

Maud, however, as soon as she saw Le Drieux, asked Arthur Weldon to
interview the man and endeavor to obtain from him the exact date when
Jack Andrews landed in New York. Uncle John had already wired to Major
Doyle, Patsy's father, to get the steamship lists and find which boat
Andrews had come on and the date of its arrival, but no answer had as yet
been received.

Arthur made a pretext of buying a cigar at the counter and then
strolled aimlessly about until he came, as if by chance, near to where
Le Drieux was sitting. Making a pretense of suddenly observing the man,
he remarked casually:

"Ah, good evening."

"Good evening, Mr. Weldon," replied Le Drieux, a note of ill-suppressed
triumph in his voice.

"I suppose you are now content to rest on your laurels, pending the